Improvement in devices for operating safe bolt-works



` E. W. FOWLER. Device for Operating Safe-Bolt Work.

No, 219,084'. Patented Sept. 2,1879.

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NUNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELBERT W. FOWLER., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR OPERATING SAFE BOLTWORKS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 219,084, dated September 2, 1879; application led December 14, 1878. A

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELBERT W. FoWLER, of Chicago, Cook county,l State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Burglar-Proof Safes, of which the following is a full description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of the inner face of a safe or vault door, showingthe bolts thrown back and the other parts in the position which they occupy before they ha-ve been adjusted for operation. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of springs, combined `with certain bars, and with the bolts and with a spring-catch, which devices are so constructed that they can be so adj usted that upon closing the door of the safe or vault the spring-catch will be released and the springs will cast the bolts, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The devices for retracting the bolts consist of springs, bars, levers, holding-catch, and device for releasing the catch, so'constructed and combined with the bolts that the same can be so arranged and adjusted that when the holding-catch is released the springs will retract the bolts, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

A time mechanism may be used in connection with the retracting mechanism for the purpose of releasing the holding-catch.

In the drawings, A represents the door of a safe or vault provided with tenon-grooves and rabbets, to shut into corresponding grooves and rabbets in the door-jamb. B B are doorbolts, connected by a bar, C, and moving in bearings in the carrying-bars D D. E isla sliding plate or bar, having arms or extensions F F. It is located upon the inner face of the door and under the bar C. Gr is a plate fixed to the inner face of the door `and between the arms F F, serving the purpose of a guide for such arms. His a bar permanently secured to the plate E.

In manufacturing, E, F F, and H may be made together, forming a single piece.

a is a spring-catch, arranged to engage with the edge of the bar C when the bolts are ref tracted, and so arranged that when the door is closed this spring a will come in contact with a projection on the doorjamb and be forced back, releasing the bar C. b b are two coil-springs, one end of each of which is secured to the bar C, and the other to the part H. c c are two other coil-sprin gs, one end of each of which is secured to the plate E, and the other end to G, or some other suitable fixed part.

d e together form a jointed lever, d being pivoted at f to a suitable projection or block on the inner face of the door, while the part e is pivoted at one end to d and at the other end to the plate E. g is a catch to engage with the outer end of the lever It is pivoted to G, as shown.

Any suitable clock-workv is to be applied to the inside of the door, so arranged that at a predetermined time its mechanism will release the catch g from the lever d. r is a wheel rotated by such clock-work. The parts may-be arranged in various ways, according to circumstances.

I have not shown the clock-work in full; but any one skilled in the art can easily apply the same to a safe in connection with my devices `from the description herein given.

The operation is as follows: Suppose the safe-door to be open, the bolts retracted, all

parts being in their normal position, as shown in Fig. l, and the time-lock having beenwound and set, as usual. Then, by means of the jointed lever d c, the plate E can be thrown forward, bringing it into theposition shown in Fig. 2, where it can be held by engaging the catch g with the end of d, in which position the springs b b and c c will all be under tension, and the springcatch a, being engaged with the bar C, to which the bolts are secured, will hold them retracted. When the door is closed this spring a will be pushed back by coming in contact with projection on the doorjamb above mentioned, and the bar C will be released from the spring. Then the tension ofthe springs b b will cast the bolts, and they will remain in that position untilthe action of the proper mechanism in the clock-work throws the catch g away from the end of the lever d. Then the action of the springs c c will retract the bolts.

rIhe two parts d e of the lever are not eX- actly in line one with the other when the mechanism is set rea-dy for use.

I have shown two springs b b and two springs c o. A greater number may be used. In place of the two springs b b, a single spring might be used. So a single spring might be used in place of the two springs c c. I prefer to use anumber of springsot' greatera-ggrcgate power than is required, so that if any one should hecome uniit for use the remaining springs will do the work.

I do not use any spindle or other connection with the outside of the door to operate the bolts, the bolts being cast by the springs b and retracted by the springs c.

It will be observed that both sets of springs are made ready for operation by the movement of the lever de, so that the safe cannot he locked without iirst setting the power which unlocks it.

My improvement is shown in connection with reciprocating bolt-work of the ordinary 'enemiga kind; but its use is not limited to suoli simple bolt-work.

lever d e and catch gshown, as various known means may be adopted to hold the plate E forward.

The arms F servethe purpose ot' guides. They might be slotted and move over a screw or hea-ded pin.

The spring a can be located in any convenient place, and may be released from C by coming in contact with the door-jamh or a projection on the inside of the safe. Instead of a single spring, a, two may be used, one at each end of C.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows: l

l. rIhe combination of the sliding plate C, bar II, springs b, and spring-catch a, with the bar D and bolt or bolts B, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the sliding plate C', bar H, and springs b with the sliding plate E. l springs c, lever d @,catch g, and disk msnbstantially as and for the purpose specified.

ELBERT W. FO WLE R.

Witnesses:

E. A. WEST, 0. W. BOND.

I do not limit myself to the arrangement ofthe l 

